Apparatus for cultivation of plants



Npv. 28, 1950 P. c. MOLEMORE 2,531,384

APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATION 0F PLANTS Filed Nov. 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Nov. 28, i950 UNITED STATES PATENT O F F l C E APPARATUS FORCULTIVATION OFrPLiANTS jPrice C(MeLQIIlOte, The Oaks, Waugh, Ala.ApplicationNovember 26, 1945,;Serial No. 630,895

6 Claims.

present invention relates to .an imp-rovement in an apparatus forcultivation of plants, The present application is a continuat'ron i-n-,par-tof my copending applicationfierial No. 364,-

1.40, filed November 4, l940,- now Patent No.2, dated ep mbe 2. 51 5.,which a plication in turn isa divisionef-my application Serial o. 298,70,;fi1edQQtQber 7 11., 1.939,.iisued as Patvent No. 2,3212%,on,August.l7, 1943.

In my aforesaid applications and :patents I have disclosed a :method ofand apparatus for by heatin'theiorm of 5a flame. In 'my appli=ca :tion:first referred :to above now issued as iPatent .No. 2,408,328, and inthe application resulting "in .the abovePa-tentNo, 2,327,;204, asoriginally filed, there is disclosed the selective destruction 40f bnoxs veg ationtbylheat the form ofzhot fluids such as steam generates-Enaisuitab-lesteam generator or of any other suitable 'vapbrprgas, such-asair, in addition :to'th'e speciesrof any inventionin which aflame is.usedgior this purpose. Myzpresent application is directed to :aime'thodand apparatus embodyingrthe species of effecting cultivation of ,plants"by heat in the form of hot fluid.

In thecultivation of.0l0ps byzheat in theriorm of a flameithas :beenfoundsthatnnless;the'rburnrers, which are disposed close :toithe ground:and base of the crop, are aocuratelyiadjustedtheresis danger ofunvaporized rfuel being discharged. and directed into the crop row the:ignition'of which unvaporized fuel b .the flame projected .by -theburner causes burning :Jof :the crop. ;In other words with a burner itisdlifficult .to .efiect com, .plete combustion of the ;fuel atthe-point :of :the nozzle.

I :is an obj of..my-:present invention, :t-herefore, to provide ,amethod and :means :of 1.0111- tivating crops in which selectivedestructionqo'f obnoxious vegetation ,is :efiected :by loathing stile vn iou ve e a ion-and.steinsioftthe crops with the products .ofcombustion devel ped by combustion of fuel in a chamber :to :whi hzthe,zcombustion is confined :a-lenath of time, .uffi ient .zto injure rordestroy-the obnoxious-negotiation without substantial injury to theplant.

pr pose to accomp sh t above vobject y providing a vehicle, preferably atractor or draft vehicle adapted to be drawn bya tractor, for travellingalong a crop royv which is provided with means for generating hotgaseous products aOf :combustio and with which suitable nozzles areassociated for directing the hot gases upon the ground in the mannerasisnow Well known the flame method of plant cultivation.

This approach to the problem of selective destr-uotionpf obnoxiousvegetation by heatin the m fvapors and gases has-several advantages. -eam-ple, the ;-hot gases may be developed at ;-a-cent13al generating unitin which combustion confined-carried-by the vehicle whichelir-pinates*therequirement of separate burners-at each point -.-where=itis desired--to apply heat. In providing a geentral-unitfor the development ofgasesthe gtemperature thereof ma 'be controlled at the source asdistinguished gflQIll adjustment of in.-

dividual burners so the gases discharged along thergsidepf tthe-prop-rowwill be at the same mperature effecting uniform application of eatatibothsides ;o f the crops. In addition'to providing don-better controlof the temperature :of the ,medium ithrou h whichheat is utilizedjtoe-1fee,t, cultivation,the useof hot gases or vapors developed inthemanner aforesaid enables the disoharge thereof at a temperature belowthe temperature: of I the c-fuel used :in generat eingizthe gaseswhereas, in theuseof-burners, the F .0J' cted .flame is at substantiallythe flaming rpoint of thefuelused in :the burners. Thus, the gaseousproducts for the cultivation of the crops maybe at alower. temperaturethan the flame of the "flame method ;of cultivation, .tvhereby theplants and Weeds may be subjected to the hot gasesfor a longer periodoftimethan a flame 5170 more expeditiously effect .cultivation of .theplants withoutinjurythereto. Also inthegenenaationi of .gases free ofcombustible particles or combustible gaseous products'at-a centralsource, therejisi no. danger. ofiprojecting combustiblerrnatr :ter onthe plantsor about thecrop rows thus eliminating the .;danger of anyunvaporized fuel fl icombusti-ble matter from becoming ignited andcausing undue burning of thecrops. Further, many different :types offuel :may be used .for developing the "hot gases such, .for example, asheavy vgfuelroil, powdered coalror. other pulverized fuel .which is an.advantage. over ;the use of :burners-rwhich-in. ithe-.main .operateeffectively only on liquid fuel. This theme of expensive burnersisiavoidedland, in addition, my present :invenrti'on provides ;for theuse of icheaper :iuels than that required for burners.

A preferred structural feature of the apparatus of my invention residesin providing a vehicle adapted to travel along a crop row having achamber in which combustion is confined for generating hot fluids andwith which chamber nozzles are associated for directing the fluids fromthe generating means upon the ground about the crops and obnoxiousvegetation to destroy or injure the latter.

A further preferred structural feature resides in providing skidmountings adjacent the lower ends of the nozzles for guiding the sameoveruneven ground to dispose the discharge outlets of the nozzles at theproper position with respect to the crop row and ground.

Other objects, advantages and features of any invention will appear fromthe detai description.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner ofpracticing the method of my invention and constructing and utilizingapparatus in accordance with my invention, I shall describe inconjunction with the accompanying drawings certain preferred embodimentsof my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of one form of apparatus constructedin accordance with my present invention;

Figure 2 is a rear end view of the apparatus of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a modifled form of apparatusembodying my invention.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus of my invention thereinshown comprises a tractor of known construction having dirigible wheelsli at its forward end and driving wheels 2-2 at its rearward end. Thefront wheels i are adapted to be steered through any suitable steeringmechanism including the steering wheel '3 which has connection by meansof a steering shaft with any suitable known form of steering mechanismhaving connection with the steering wheels carried by suitable shaftsmounted on the main controls for governing the starting, stopping andspeed of the engine. Preferably, the tractor is provided with anautomatic speed governor for maintaining a fixed speed as is also wellknown in the art. It will be understood that when the tractor comprisesan internal combustion engine a suitable radiator is associatedtherewith for effecting cooling of the cooling medium for the enginewhich in the conventional tractor is positioned at the front end of thechassis. The tractor is also provided with a suitable operators seat 1in convenient position to the controls and steering wheel 3 forgoverning the operation of the tractor. For purposes of my presentinvention I have selected for illustration the type of tractor in whichthe front steering wheels are located so as to travel between twoparallel rows of crops R1 and R2 with the rear wheels 2'2 being spacedto straddle the two rows of crops R1 and R2, as will be clear fromFigure 2.

With this known form of tractor, I preferably provide an auxiliarytransversely extending frame member or platform 8 suitably secured tothe chassis 5 of the tractor rearwardly thereof, which frame 8 providesfor the support of a combustion or hot fluid generating unit 9 by theburning of fuel oil therein. As shown in the drawings the unit 9 isdivided into a pair of combustion chambers i9i9 by a verticallyextending partition 5, with each chamber lQ-ifl having a knowncombination fan and pump device it suitably secured in the upper endwall of the unit Each combination pump and fan device ill has connectionby a conduit it with a fuel supplytank 12 supported rearwardly on themain frame or chassis 5. It will be understood that suitable controlvalves may also be provided to regulate the flow of fuel from the fueltank i2 through the conduit I and bafiles and speed control devices maybe provided for regulating the amount of air delivered by the fan of thecombination fan and pump unit it to be heated in the combustion chambersi9i9, together with the supply of fuel thereto to effect any desireddegree of heat, and by means of which control the temperature and volumeof the products of combustion developed within and issued from thecombustion chambers l9-IQ of the combustion unit 9.

Preferably the tractor is provided with a power take-off to providemeans for driving the com bination fan and pump devices it) or ifdesired an auxiliary small gasoline engine may be provided for thispurpose. The aforesaid controls for regulating the flow of fuel and airto a combustion chamber, together with the power takeoff mechanisms fortractors or auxiliary motor drives for effecting operation of auxiliaryequipment, are well known expedients in their respective arts and forthis reason it is believed that r they need not be further shown ordescribed for an understanding of my present invention. These detailsmay vary widely in their scope and adaptation to my invention which inits essentials so far described contemplates the use of any suitablegenerating means or apparatus for developing hot fluids.

It will be observed from Figure 2 that the combustion unit 5 extendstransversely of the tractor substantially for the full width thereofbetween the pair of rear wheels 22 with the combustion chambers ill-l9each being provided with an outlet housing section l4. Each of thehousing sections I4 have a pair of ducts iil5 forming a distributingduct system pivotally associated therewith for rotation aboutsubstantial horizontal coaxial axes. As shown in Figure 1 a baliie i3may be incorporated in each of the chambers l9l9 of the unit 9 at theconnection between these chambers with the outlet housing sections It toprevent the passage of solid products of combustion into the latter.Each pair of ducts i5l5 are arranged to be disposed on either side oftwo pair rows of crops R1 and R2, as will be clear from Figure 2. Theducts 15 each have a bar frame member l6 secured to the outer sidesthereof, which bars 16 at their outer ends have pivotal connection witha skid H. The skids H, as more clearly illustrated in Figure 1 areadapted to support the ducts $5 with the nozzles 18 thereof directeddiagonally downwardly and inwardly of the crop rows R1 and R2, which itis desired to cultivate with the generated fluids issuing from thehousing sections I4 through the nozzles of ducts 15. Each pair of ducts|5-l5 associated with each of the outlet housing sec tions I4l4 of thecombustion chamber 9 are of different lengths so that the dischargenozzles l8l8 thereof are offset with respect to each other andlengthwise of a crop row so that the assesses hot gases :issuingrromi-th'e outlets ef th'e nuts project the hot gases acro'ss the croprows in non-opposing rela'tion with 'respect to each ather. -Asindicated-in- Figure Z, thedownwardly inclined outlet :or nozzle-discharg'e ends it of ducts 45 are preferably disposed with their :axes=:in'ter secting the ground :at the base of *the crop crow so that thehot gases are projected-upon lthe sgroundfabout the stems of th'e'cropsbelow the foliage thereof and the-nb'noxious vegetation.sur :roundingthe crop. The vehicle is :moved at a rate of speed :along the ':rows oficropsrso that the =hot .-g'ases issuing from the outlets :of the ductsis for'a sufiicient length (of time to 'iefiect 'the destruction orinjury o'f ltheobnoxious vegetation without doing substantial injurystothe crop. In Figure l I have shown thegpair ":of ducts l5, [5 at thenear-sideiin their operative positions with the;pair of ducts tothefarside of the vehicle, as viewed in this figure :rbeing :shown inraised or-inoperativeeposition. :In order to elTect raising of the ducts1 5, L5 from the -op'erative .position to the inoperative position, itwill be observed that :each duct is .provided with an eyelet member towhich one end of i a cable 2! is fastened with theotherendaof the cablebeing secured to a rota-tabledrum -22,the opposite ends of which arerotatablysupported in the laterally extending brackets r23--23:supported bythe outlet housing sections -I 4-=-i'4wof the combustionunit-9. A cable ZB-eX'tendsfrom a drum 21 *ofsmaller diameter than drum:2? and fixed toone end thereof. The cable 26 is trained overa pulley 29with the-other endx-of the cable -20 having connection --with-a lever 302 suitably supported on the frame or chassis of the tractor and in aposition to "be easily -grasped by the'operator. Upongrasping of thelever 30 and-moving it from its full line position, -'as shown in Figure1, to the broken linepositionthe drum 22 is caused to berotated throughthe cable 26 to raise the ducts I5 about their horizontal pivotalmountings by winding of .the cables 21 on drum 22 into inoperativeposition asshoWn-in broken lines in Figure 1. It will be observed thatin the above described embodimentof my invention a pair of combinationfan and pump devices H] are shown, and that the combustion unit '9comprises separate combustion compartments so thatif desired combustionmay be carried out in one combustion compartment which together withthe-associated pair of ducts l5-I'5 "may be used in the cultivation ofonerow of crops ava time. It will also be apparent torthose'skilled inthe art that if desired a single combinationzpump and fan device may besuitably arranged with a single combustion chamber having suitablenozzles associated therewith for projecting hot' fiuids atinore thanonepoint along theside of one or more crop rows.

-'In'the embodimentof Figure S, I have-shown a" traotor-'similar inmostrespect's to thetractor described in connection with Figures 1 and 2and in which like reference numerals indicate like or similar parts.However, in the form of the invention shown in Figure 3, the cultivatingunit is mounted on a separate draft vehicle or two wheel cart having ahook 30 which is adapted to have connection with a transverselyextending cross bar 3| rearwardly of the tractor for drawing the vehicleor cart 32 along a crop row. Also, in this form of the invention thefuel supply tank I2 is carried by the draft vehicle 32 rather thandirectly on the tractor. In this form of the invention the draft vehicle32 comprises a platform or irraine :33 which (is adapted ito rprovidefcr Rthe support of the fuel supply tank l2, andcombustionunitis'whicmas before, lhasssuitablyassocb ated therewith Iacombination Iran and plump "device i 0'. Also, as beforegthe chamber forgen- "erating the hot gases. is provided with amoutlet housing Ii 4 withwhich the 1 ducts A 5 have connection in the manner described and whichduets |5|5' are supported by the ground -='engag ing rskids H :in themanner previously described. Any rsuitabl e power "source :may beutilized "Bio-r drivingzthetpumpaand.faniaszpreviously: described. itwillzbeiunderstond that in b'o'th embodiments ofthe inventionshowniniliigures l ann 2,.:and3 itliat' theiamitsi ll or "'9 'rmayeitherrcomprise'ra iconibustio'n "chamber ffor :the churning of .:fuel:oil, :as "above described in the preferred-"embodiments :of myinvention, *or may comprise suitable zknown .zfdrm's 'o'fsfurnaceconstructions (for iburriing pulverizedcoal .oriiothe'r sGlidi/hliit'eliail11*1"O171'I6Ilfiills. It is tbelieve'd, 'therefore, ithat 'Lthe:somewhat .tdia- :grarnmatic showing Of :a rfuel :ineans tend -of i-the.meansforcgeneratingza h'ot'iiiuitl isaslifficient for a disclosure:offthel'presentiinvention .in thatthe'se1features1 may vary =quit'euwidely in their arrangement and aincorporation (in at :sui-tablevehicle for travelling along :the *cropiraw v:lto :effect the:cultivation :of .crops by directing ;:the .=generiate'd fluid throughnozzles upon the; ground andabout the plant stems to 'deStmylth'e.obnoxious :vegeta'tion -or weeds ng rowing athereaboutwithout-destruction of thecrop.

:The method involved 'rintutilizingihe; aboveiap- :paratus Ffo'l thecultivation :of plants thus comr rprises the A step :of-.=subjecting:obnoxious rvegetaa. length :ofstime': in which the:obnoxious vegetation isc'destroyeq J01. injured without causing in-:jurytorthe crop -plant. .:In the preferred embodi- -'ment of the.invention -'.the "hot fluids sareegenerated in a combustionchambere-remoteifromwhe vcraps and: in whichizcombusti'on lis confinedand the generated hot. fluids 1 Idi-rected d'ownwardly at:oneziorrmoreipointsatr either ornboth sides o'f one 501' more -tcropirows to the extent Landrfor the -pur-poserabove described: in detail.

Inone-successful application. ofi my inventioncombustio'n:gasesgeneratedi from: propane-a ::the iiuell-issued i'ffromta-snozzle; at temperaturesmang ing from l000: F. to .1200-'-'F..eandiiat points about 011811001" flZOIIl .the: cro .-'row :kille'dtand:shrivell ed -'wee'd'-fol-ia"ge"when passed by the weed ioliageatzaratezofztwot=toffourzmiles perhour without doing cinrjurytto the crop.The propaneiwasaburned at thezrate :of 100,000 i to *,0003. t.- u. perhour iandv'diliition air wasziused' to bring the temperature of thecombustion xgases t-to ithose sta'ted above. The apparatusiutilizedto'eiiectthe-culti- Pvation er thercro-psicomprisedaduct 'of about fourinches-in diameteriand itt-erminated in a ii'sh' tailvnozzle't'rneasuring iabouti fi inch'es in Iength-and-Z inchesinwidth.

It will be understood that the above values are relative only in thatvarious modifications can be developed in which the temperature of thedeveloped fluids may vary widely from the range above given with acorresponding change in the speed of travel of the duct outlets alongthe row, and which conditions may be determined by experiment. Thus, itwill be observed that the speed of travel of the duct outlet may varyfrom the values above given which may also necessitate varying of theauxiliary air or dilution air, and also the proportion of the ductoutlet may be broader or narrower to give different time e1e- 7 m'entsof heat application at any given speed of travel.

While I have disclosed what I consider to be the preferred embodimentsof my invention, it will be understood that various modifications andrearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a cultivator comprising a wheeled vehicle adapted to travel alonga crop row, the combination of a combustion chamber adapted to becarried by said vehicle for burning fuel, a pair of ducts havingdischarge nozzles and having connection with said chamber fordischarging the products of combustion therefrom through said dischargenozzles, and means connected to said ducts adjacent said dischargenozzle for supporting said ducts to extend laterally at either side ofthe crop row and having the discharge nozzles thereof directeddiagonally downwardly and inwardly toward the crop row to bathe theground about said crop row with the products of combustion issuingtherefrom.

2. In a cultivator comprising a wheeled vehicle adapted to travel alonga crop row, the combination of a combustion chamber adapted to becarried by said vehicle for burning fuel, a pair of ducts havingdischarge nozzles associated with said chamber for discharging theproducts of combustion therefrom through said discharge nozzles, andmeans connected to said ducts adjacent said discharge nozzle forsupporting said ducts to extend laterally at either side of the crop rowand having the outlets thereof directed diagonally downwardly andinwardly toward the crop row with the discharge outlets of said ducts ateither side of said crop row being offset with respect to each otherlengthwise of the crop row to bathe the ground about said crops with thegaseous products issuing therefrom.

3. In a cultivator comprising a wheeled vehicle adapted to travel alonga crop row, the combination of a combustion chamber adapted to becarried by said vehicle for burning fuel; a pair of ducts havingdischarge nozzles associated with said chamber for discharging theproducts of combustion therefrom through said nozzles, said ducts beingsupported to extend laterally at either side of the crop row and havingthe outlets thereof directed diagonally downwardly and inwardly towardthe crop row with the nozzles of said ducts being offset with respect toeach lengthwise of the vehicle to bathe the ground about said row ofcrops with the products of combustion issuing therefrom, and groundengaging skids connected to said ducts for guiding the same over theground.

4. In a cultivator comprising a wheeled vehicle adapted to travel alonga crop row, the combination of a combustion chamber adapted to becarried by said vehicle for burning fuel, a pair of ducts havingdischarge nozzles associated with said chamber for discharging theproducts of combustion therefrom through said nozzles, and groundengaging skids connected to said ducts for guiding the same over theground, said ducts having their nozzles supported by said skids todirect the products of combustion issuing therefrom diagonallydownwardly and inwardly to- Ward the crop row to bathe the ground aboutsaid row of crops therein.

5. In a cultivator comprising a tractor having front wheel means adaptedto travel between an adjacent pair of crop rows and rear wheel meansadapted to straddle said pair of crop rows, the combination of acombustion chamber adapted to be mounted on said tractor for developingheat by combustion of combustible material therein, a plurality ofdischarge nozzles having connection with said chamber for dischargingproducts of combustion therefrom, said nozzles being arranged to extendat either side of said crop rows and directed diagonally downwardly andinwardly of the crop rows to chest projection of the products ofcombustion issuing therefrom upon the ground about said crop rows.

6. In combination, a wheeled vehicle adapted to travel along a crop row,a combustion chamber carried by said vehicle for burning fuel, ductmeans in communication with said chamber for discharging the products ofcombustion from the latter, ground engaging means connected to said ductmeans for supporting the discharge end of the latter in position so thatthe products of combustion are directed upon the ground laterally of thecrop row, and means for said duct means for mounting the same formovement of the discharge end thereof upwardly and downwardly relativeto said combustion chamber when said ground engaging means passes overuneven ground.

PRICE C. MoLEMORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 600,106 White Mar. 1, 18981,184,997 Rawls May 30, 1916 1,515,476 Greenfield Nov. 11, 19241,547,765 Lang July 28, 1925 1,698,196 Lang Jan. 8, 1929 2,288,569 MasonJune 30, 1942 2,408,328 McLemore Sept. 24, 1946 I FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 2,442 Australia of 1905 4,043 Australia of 1905 5,634Australia of 1906 1,050 Germany Mar. 12, 1879

